Rhode Island's own Shawnn Monteiro, one of the top jazz vocalists on the scene today, will present a tribute to Carmen McCrea at Cranston's Park Theatre (the Rhode Island Center for the Performing Arts) on Saturday, March 20 at 8 p.m.

After the captivating performance of jazz vocalist/guitarist John Pizzarelli, Monteiro's appearance is quickly making Cranston the place to hear great jazz. Ms. Monteiro will be accompanied by Rhode Island's own Mike Renzi Trio.

Ironically, both Monteiro and Renzi are well known and respected jazz musicians around the world but seldom have an opportunity to perform in their own back yard. I have Monteiro's CD, which she recorded in 2004 with her godfather, Clark Terry, and it's a winner.

The exciting and captivating singer will present her own tribute to Carmen McCrea, who peaked in the ’50s when I was discovering jazz. She sang with Dave Brubeck, Louis Armstrong, George Shearing and many of the jazz greats.

Shawnn herself has sung with the best, Ray Brown, Lionel Hampton, Nat Adderly, to name a few, and has delighted audiences with her highly popular jazz repertoire and blues-oriented improvisations and tunes from the Great American Songbook. She teaches Master Classes at the University of Hartford Hartt School/Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz and at Rhode Island College.

Opening the show will be one of the hottest young stars on the jazz scene, 16-year-old saxophonist/singer/songwriter/composer Grace Kelly from Brookline, Mass. The young musician has already recorded and performed with people like Dave Brubeck, Phil Woods, Diane Reeves and a host of others. Notable venues in the USA and Europe include Carnegie Hall, Birdland, Scullers Jazz Club in Boston, the Kennedy Center, and a number of Jazz Festival. She will open the Newport Jazz Festival this summer. Here is a fabulous opportunity to hear these great musicians, up close and personal, right in our back yard for the very reasonable price of $30 or $40. For reservations call 467-7275.